A process is often controlled by a control system that includes a native control system and a non-native control system. In such a system, there is a need for communication between the devices of the native control system and the devices of the non-native control system. For example, a part of the process may require that an intelligent valve in the non-native control system be actuated based on a temperature monitored by a temperature sensor in the native control system. A control processor in the native control system controls this part of the process by gathering the temperature data, processing the data according to a control program and communicating a control signal for the valve of the non-native control system.
The communication of this control signal to the non-native intelligent valve is not a simple matter, as the non-native control system differs from the native control system in several ways, such as functionality of non-native devices, variety of control programs residing therein, data formats for communication and the like. A possible solution might involve the use of programs that image the functionality of the control programs executing in the non-native devices. This possible solution would be rigid, as it would require as many program objects as there are non-native devices multiplied by the number of unique control programs per device. Such program objects would also lack any support for customized-function non-native devices.
There is a need for a simple and flexible communication system and method for communicating signals or data between native and non-native control systems.